WELCOME! THANK YOU FOR VISITING! TO FIND OUT WHAT WE’RE ALL ABOUT, CHECK OUT OUR Vision, Values & OLM Game Plan and New Here
ENCOUNTER
GROW
WITNESS
Facebook Feed
And so the Triduum, three days liturgically celebrated as one, begins this evening of Holy Thursday, where we gather to celebrate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
This night of Holy Thursday is one of the most eventful and significant days in Jesus’ entire life and, therefore, ours as well, for on this night, our Lord Jesus gave us three gifts by which He would remain with us always; 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲.
Notice the 'sound of silence'; 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀. At the conclusion of the Mass this evening (Holy Thursday), the Blessed Sacrament will be processed to the repository. We depart from Mass this evening 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, remembering the impending arrest and Passion of our Lord. On Good Friday, we gather and depart 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 in commemoration of the Lord’s Passion. Finally, we gather 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 for the Easter Vigil in joyful expectation of the Resurrection.
As we celebrate these Holy Days dwelling in the silence, let us keep watch with Peter, James and John, but this time, wide awake and mindful of Jesus’ agony in the garden, and Jesus steeling Himself not simply to die but to enter into battle alone against the powers of Sin and Death and Hell.
___
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church is located between Waubonsie Valley High School and the Eola Community Center at 701 South Eola Road, Aurora
____
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀’ 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀
𝘼𝙣𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙨 is Greek for “raise up,” or resurrection, and whereas the western Church usually focuses on the crucifix, many of our eastern brothers and sisters focus on this extraordinary icon. The icon is not a picture, but a mysterious, sacramental glimpse into this real event. Jesus is in the center, with light bursting from inside of Him. He’s standing on the gates of hell, and underneath His feet is “the strong man,” the devil, bound and defeated (cf. Luke 11:22). In His hands are a man and a woman, Adam and Eve, and behind them, a long line of those who had been held bound by the power of Death. But now they are liberated! Jesus is leading them out of captivity and into abundant life.
Are you in need of someone to hope in? More than any time that we can remember, 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗶𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝗳, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗛𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 “𝗛𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀.” And this love is made manifest most powerfully, most undeniably, on the cross, which He willingly embraced for us, for you and for me, by name. And in Jesus we come to see and understand that to say “Love is stronger than death” is not just a beautiful sentiment for a greeting card; it’s really true. God has destroyed the power of Death. It does not have the last word. 𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. The ground we stand on as disciples of Jesus is firm, solid, immovable, for our lives are not in the hands of anyone or anything other than this God who is Love.
Let our prayer and time with Jesus, keeping watch with Him reveal more fully in our hearts that Jesus who is gentle and merciful is utterly unconquerable. May we see that Jesus is LORD.
𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒖𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒄𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒖𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏; 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒖𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆; 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝑯𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆.
... See MoreSee Less
- Likes: 5
- Shares: 2
- Comments: 0
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Holy Week is upon us! We're looking forward to journeying through a beautiful, powerful, and prayerful Triduum with you at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church.
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀!
olmercy.com/holyweek2024
𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 @ 𝗢𝗟𝗠 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂? 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄.
___
A PRAYER TO BEGIN HOLY WEEK
Lord Jesus, as we enter into Holy Week once again, I come before You to renew my love and gratitude and to ask You to open my heart to all the special graces that this week contains.
I know that everything that took place during this week two thousand years ago was done for the salvation of the world, and yet as if for me alone. As You carried Your cross, You thought of each person You would redeem. As You suffered betrayal, denial, and the fleeing of Your disciples, as you experienced the mockery and scorn of the crowds, You knew of every human betrayal and denial that would ever take place, and You knew of all the sufferings and humiliations every person would ever undergo in every corner of the world. You saw my whole life, every moment of my existence.
Lord Jesus, I want to live this week in union with You. I want the mysteries of Your Passion, Death, and Resurrection to continue to transform my life. Though I do not know the hour of my physical death, I do know that at each moment of my life, lived in union with You, You can put to death all that separates me from You. By Your grace, I have already been raised with You, and the life I now live is not my own, but Yours.
In the Sacrifice of the Mass today and every day, I unite myself to You. I offer You my whole heart, my whole life. Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You all my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings—holding nothing back. I want to be entirely clothed in You, to be conformed to You, and I trust that as You look upon me from heaven, You hold nothing back. You love me with the entirety of your Sacred Heart.
Lord Jesus, I trust in You. Lord Jesus, I love You.
Amen
... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
(𝗦𝗽𝘆) 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗢𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿
To accomplish Your plan, Father, He gave Himself up to death. (cf. Eucharistic Prayer IV)
Judas personifies all that good people most despise: dishonesty, venality, treachery. For humanity at our most despicable, the Lord Jesus willingly suffered the plots of the enemies who banded together to seek His life. When our Lord foretells His own betrayal, it is because He still loves Judas. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “I already know what you are planning to do; I know your problems, your evil intentions, your secret sins. Yet, still I am here with you. Since I already know, why continue in this way? It is not too late.” Judas’ final betrayal was to refuse God’s mercy, to collapse in on Himself in despair. If we turn frequently to Jesus asking for His mercy and for the grace to persevere, we have nothing to fear.
______
MEDITATION OF THE DAY
Greater love has no man than this, to lay down his life for his friends, Jesus said at the Last Supper. We could exclaim: But there does exist a greater love than giving one’s life for one’s friends: Your love! You did not give your life for Your friends but for your enemies! Paul says that scarcely can someone be found who is ready to die for a just man, although such a man might be found: But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
The word “friends” in the active sense indicates those who love you, but in the passive sense it indicates those whom you love. Jesus calls Judas friend (Matthew 26:50), not because Judas loved Him, but because He loved Judas! There is no greater love than giving one’s life for one’s enemies while considering them friends; this is what Jesus meant by His statement. People can be—or act as though they are—enemies of God, but God will never be the enemy of any human being…. Jesus died, crying out, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…. It is a peremptory request made with the authority that comes from being the Son: Father, forgive them!
... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
myParish App
A Look at the Calendar
A Look at the Calendar
- Mar 28
-
-
28MarMorning PrayerChurch8:00 am
-
28MarSalt & LightRm 2171:00 pm
-
28MarSalt LightRoom 2171:00 pm
-
28MarMass of the Lords SupperChurch7:00 pm
-